{"id":1043,"date":"2022-12-29T20:04:32","date_gmt":"2022-12-29T20:04:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wavespath.com\/?post_type=podcasts&#038;p=1043"},"modified":"2022-12-29T20:09:38","modified_gmt":"2022-12-29T20:09:38","slug":"put-on-some-real-clothes-its-time-to-turn-your-camera-on-again","status":"publish","type":"podcasts","link":"https:\/\/wavespath.com\/podcasts\/put-on-some-real-clothes-its-time-to-turn-your-camera-on-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Put On Some Real Clothes \u2013 It\u2019s Time to Turn Your Camera On Again"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/wavespath.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Put-On-Some-Real-Clothes-Its-Time-to-Turn-Your-Camera-On-Again.-11_07_2022-4.45-PM-1.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s February 2022, and the pandemic is sticking around longer than a toxic ex, except that it\u2019s much worse and apparently more persistent. I\u2019ve lost track of all the various mutations, strains and restrictions, and while I\u2019m not quite a shut-in (yet), a social butterfly I definitely am not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s been almost two years of this resurgent rodeo and while working at home can be a joy (snacking on cookies and chips while in your PJs anyone?) when it comes to interacting with others online, admit it, some of us have gotten lazy. We\u2019ve taken it for granted that our presence at company meetings via audio is enough. So we don\u2019t groom our hair, our background may be messy and we wear our comfy tees, bottoms optional.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/jlQGv3j1oic98YI3v3GuH-xbR50hkcn3PN0cT1ZxYs38Icucg9YgShwzjdXd6zeFjAuHT3AcSjSQ1fdNStxDs-e1EBaN8Q0n5CYIMEn7D_fbMQW2QEdx_h138WuvZ-VCnodBNzbm\" alt=\"\" width=\"267\" height=\"400\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If your co-workers could see you now, they would be appalled.&nbsp; Or maybe not, because they\u2019re probably rocking the same dishevelled-chic look as you are. That, or their kids are driving them nuts in the background. Remember them yelling&nbsp; \u201cCome out de fridge!\u201d mid-meeting while unknowingly unmuted?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, having our camera off during video calls&nbsp;<em>does<\/em>&nbsp;give us a (false) sense of security, but (trigger warning!) have you ever unexpectedly been asked to turn your camera on??&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now&nbsp;<em>that\u2019<\/em>s a new level of anxiety people!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At that moment you must think fast and either invent a somewhat plausible tech excuse, end the call abruptly and then later claim a power outage, or, be honest with your boss\/client\/child\u2019s teacher, and fess up that you may not look the most presentable and prefer to keep your camera off. This is usually followed by an awkward silence or passively judgemental comment, but off your camera stays, and along comes the slight guilt about what you\u2019ve just done. We all know the possibility of this scenario happening, yet every day so many of us are still unprepared. Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/PCk0JOJ63KM817mKDua625oou9BLCWEam8qXLyUKmSTBNWumfjMZj7T263hnaGLO2tJ4cFxUkKRyIJe4m0RaxqZlffnAgHs4DayyXSngNr5WaMO0ztngDh-fFN65GYjXNimLms5w\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, collective common reasoning might be \u201cNo one can see us so they can\u2019t judge us and we still get our jobs done right?\u201d (Fave PJs with the holes be damned!) Guess what though? Something substantial&nbsp;<em>is<\/em>&nbsp;missing when we don\u2019t commit our presence fully while interacting online, and we unknowingly miss out on a few things.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where-s-the-connection\"><strong>Where\u2019s the&nbsp;<\/strong><strong><em>Connection?&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to this Edutopia article by Youki Terada,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.edutopia.org\/article\/camera-oncamera-dilemma\">The Camera-On\/Camera-Off Dilemma | Edutopia<\/a>, when we have meetings with our screens off, we miss out on that intangible yet necessary human-connection element. Also missing is the body language and those non-verbal cues that help employers and employees alike, observe and evaluate if something is understood, or not. It was also noted in a Cornell University study of students, \u201cthat being able to hear and see each other in real-time helped construct a more complete picture of their peers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not just about having a sea of black screens either, it\u2019s really about our ever-increasing lack of online etiquette.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So how do we curb these bad online habits formed when most of us were sheltered in place with snacks, alcohol and copious amounts of toilet paper back in 2020?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"let-s-start-with-the-basics\"><strong>Let\u2019s Start With the Basics.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, you\u2019re working from home now, but try to have a manageable routine the same way you would if you had to commute to the office. Now that your commute might be just from your bed to your sofa, hopefully with a shower in between, you should still make an effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wake up at a reasonable time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not consistently hit snooze just because they\u2019ll be no traffic to deal with. Hit it maybe once then get your butt out of bed! Shower, groom yourself well enough that you actually<em>&nbsp;look<\/em>&nbsp;like yourself, and sit down to a healthy breakfast. Giving yourself the same time to prepare that you would need to if commuting, shows that you have a certain level of respect and appreciation for&nbsp;<em>yourself<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, at some point during the day, try to allot some time to free up your headspace. Whether this is a meditation moment, a bit of yoga, a run, a good quick read, or listening to a couple of your fave tunes. Take a moment, just for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many of us are doing even more work now that we\u2019re remote, and it\u2019s good to set healthy boundaries between work-time, and you-time. Note that I suggested&nbsp;<em>a moment<\/em>, so don\u2019t be slacking off all day as that\u2019ll be stealing time from your employer. Intervals of 5 to 10 minutes are reasonable and scientifically proven to actually improve productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now back to those meetings. According to a Harvard Business School study:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>People now attend 13% more online meetings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Each meeting is 12 minutes\u2014or 20% shorter, reducing the number of meeting hours by 12%, or 19 minutes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The number of people invited to each meeting has risen by 2, or 14%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>So since the Zoom calls are here to stay, let\u2019s do them right. Below are some quick tips for proper online etiquette which you can apply to any online interaction, not just work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Be prepared for your meeting and log on 10 to 15 minutes before the start time. This allows for a punctual start and you don\u2019t miss any vital information by being late.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Verify that your screen name is your actual name and not something inappropriate. (69Kitty, yes, I\u2019m talking to you.)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you\u2019re using a profile photo, please make sure it\u2019s a simple front-facing headshot of&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>you<\/strong><strong>. Keep the pics of your pecs, bikini photos and group shots from your last fete for your personal social media platforms. (Besides, everyone knows you haven\u2019t been partying since 2019, duh.)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ensure that your camera is on and your mic is muted unless you\u2019re speaking.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ensure that your camera is positioned correctly and you can be seen clearly. If your background is messy or busy, use the \u2018blurred\u2019 effect option available on most platforms.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use the raise hand feature if you have a question or comment. Do not abruptly interrupt the presenter. *The only caveat to this would be if you have an emergency.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you need to step away (or snack on something) do turn off your camera, and double-check that you\u2019re muted while you do so.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keep things professional. During the Zoom meeting, that flirty, slightly salacious message you thought you sent directly to your \u2018work wife\u2019 or \u2018work husband\u2019 actually ended up in the main chat. (\u2026and now it\u2019s a love triangle cause oh lord HR gotta get involved\u2026)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>So now that we\u2019ve determined what we all need to do to get work done efficiently, and how to effectively communicate, dust off those cookie crumbs, look at yourself on your phone screen, and make a decision that tomorrow you will do all these things, and you<em>&nbsp;will<\/em>&nbsp;be better!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But for now, open up that pack of chips, pull up your boxers or fix your nightgown, finish those reports that were due two days ago, and WhatsApp your boss that your power went out earlier this morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1045,"template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wavespath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcasts\/1043"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wavespath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcasts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wavespath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcasts"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wavespath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wavespath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}